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on MENA - Middle East and North Africa |
| By: | Saad Saidi (ENCGT - Ecole Nationale de Commerce et de Gestion de Tanger - UAE - Abdelmalek Essaadi University [Tétouan] = Université Abdelmalek Essaadi [Tétouan], UAE - Abdelmalek Essaadi University [Tétouan] = Université Abdelmalek Essaadi [Tétouan]); Rachid Daanoune (ENCGT - Ecole Nationale de Commerce et de Gestion de Tanger - UAE - Abdelmalek Essaadi University [Tétouan] = Université Abdelmalek Essaadi [Tétouan], UAE - Abdelmalek Essaadi University [Tétouan] = Université Abdelmalek Essaadi [Tétouan]) |
| Abstract: | This article examines university social responsibility (USR) in Morocco through a structured narrative review of theoretical and empirical studies. Despite the growth of national research, the literature remains fragmented and lacks a synthesis connecting the theoretical foundations of USR, its dimensions, implementation mechanisms, and territorial disparities. This review seeks to address this gap by developing a context-sensitive interpretive framework that consolidates existing knowledge, identifies its limitations, and guides future research. The synthesis reveals a marked increase in scholarly output: the bibliometric analysis used indicates that 11 of the 12 articles reviewed were published between 2018 and 2023, seven of which examine the integration of USR practices. Research remains concentrated in Rabat, Salé, Kenitra, and Casablanca, while none of the reviewed studies addresses higher education institutions in southern Morocco. Students account for 37% of the stakeholders examined, compared with 25% for faculty members, 25% for institutional leaders, and 13% for administrative staff. The reviewed studies point to limited and fragmented implementation, hindered by inadequate financial resources, excessive bureaucracy, and an insufficiently supportive organizational culture. The article contributes to the literature by contextualizing USR around three dimensions: ethics, environmental sustainability, and governance and by defining key priorities: developing a national strategy, integrating sustainable development into university curricula, and strengthening university–society partnerships. |
| Abstract: | Cet article analyse la responsabilité sociétale des universités (RSU) au Maroc au moyen d'une revue narrative structurée de travaux théoriques et empiriques. Malgré l'essor des recherches nationales, la littérature reste fragmentée et dépourvue d'une synthèse reliant fondements théoriques, dimensions, modalités de mise en oeuvre et disparités territoriales. Cette revue vise à combler cette lacune par un cadre d'interprétation contextualisé qui consolide les connaissances, en cerne les limites et oriente les recherches futures. La synthèse révèle une forte intensification des publications : l'analyse bibliométrique mobilisée indique que 11 des 12 articles recensés ont été publiés entre 2018 et 2023, dont sept portent sur l'intégration des pratiques de RSU. Les recherches se concentrent à Rabat, Salé, Kénitra et Casablanca, tandis qu'aucune étude recensée ne concerne les établissements du sud du Maroc. Les étudiants représentent 37 % des parties prenantes étudiées, contre 25 % pour les enseignants, 25 % pour les chefs d'établissement et 13 % pour le personnel administratif. Les travaux mettent en évidence une mise en oeuvre limitée et fragmentée, entravée par l'insuffisance des ressources financières, la bureaucratie et une culture organisationnelle peu adaptée. La contribution réside dans la contextualisation de la RSU autour de trois dimensions éthique, durabilité environnementale et gouvernance et dans la définition de priorités : stratégie nationale, intégration du développement durable dans les curricula et renforcement des partenariats université-société. |
| Keywords: | Literature review, Moroccan higher education., Societal impact, University social responsibility (USR), Sustainable development, Enseignement supérieur au Maroc., Revue de littérature, Impact sociétal, Responsabilité sociétale des universités (RSU), Développement durable |
| Date: | 2026–08–16 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05718492 |
| By: | Abdelkarim Hssoune (Université Ibn Zohr = Ibn Zohr University [Agadir]); Ahmed Amghar (Université Ibn Zohr = Ibn Zohr University [Agadir]); Najib Bahmani (Université Ibn Zohr = Ibn Zohr University [Agadir]); Rachid El Aarji (Université Ibn Zohr = Ibn Zohr University [Agadir]) |
| Abstract: | This study investigates the determinants of crop diversification among small family farms in the province of Chtouka-Aït Baha, located in the Souss-Massa region of Morocco. Based on a field survey conducted between January and August 2022 among 296 farms, a binary crop diversification variable (DIVCULT) was constructed, distinguishing specialized farms (single crop) from diversified farms (two or more crops). The results show that 58.1% of the surveyed farms practice crop diversification. A statistically significant binary Logit model (χ² = 96.808; p < 0.001), with a good fit to the data (Hosmer–Lemeshow test: p = 0.091; Nagelkerke R² = 0.376), was used to identify the main determinants of this practice. The age of the farm head and agricultural income have a significant negative effect on crop diversification, whereas education level, household size, cultivated area, non-agricultural income, and geographical location have positive effects. However, the latter exhibits a statistically significant individual effect only for the commune of Inchaden compared with Sidi Ouassay. These findings highlight the crucial role of human capital, cultivated land area, and family labor availability in shaping crop diversification strategies among small family farms. They also emphasize the need to strengthen public policies aimed at improving agricultural education, enhancing access to productive resources, and supporting income diversification in order to promote more resilient and sustainable farming systems. |
| Abstract: | Cette étude analyse les déterminants de la diversification des cultures au sein des petites exploitations agricoles familiales de la province de Chtouka-Aït Baha, dans la région de Souss-Massa (Maroc). À partir d'une enquête de terrain menée entre janvier et août 2022 auprès de 296 exploitations, une variable binaire de diversification (DIVCULT) a été construite, distinguant les exploitations spécialisées (une seule culture) des exploitations diversifiées (au moins deux cultures). Les résultats montrent que 58, 1 % des exploitations enquêtées pratiquent la diversification des cultures. Un modèle Logit binaire, statistiquement significatif (χ² = 96, 808 ; p < 0, 001) et présentant un bon ajustement aux données (test de Hosmer-Lemeshow : p = 0, 091 ; R² de Nagelkerke = 0, 376), a permis d'identifier les principaux déterminants de cette pratique. L'âge du chef d'exploitation et le revenu agricole exercent un effet négatif significatif sur la diversification, tandis que le niveau d'instruction, la taille du ménage, la superficie cultivée, le revenu non agricole et la localisation géographique l'influencent positivement, cette dernière présentant toutefois un effet individuel significatif uniquement pour la commune d'Inchaden par rapport à Sidi Ouassay. Ces résultats mettent en évidence le rôle déterminant du capital humain, de la superficie cultivée et de la disponibilité de la main-d'oeuvre familiale dans les stratégies de diversification des petites exploitations agricoles. Ils soulignent également l'importance de renforcer les politiques publiques en matière de formation agricole, d'amélioration de l'accès aux ressources productives et de soutien à la diversification des revenus afin de promouvoir des systèmes agricoles plus résilients et durables. |
| Keywords: | crop diversification, Chtouka-Aït Baha, Logit model, small family farms, Morocco, modèle Logit, petites exploitations agricoles familiales, Maroc, diversification des cultures |
| Date: | 2026–08–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05755346 |
| By: | Nxumalo, Mpumelelo (World Bank); Raju, Dhushyanth (World Bank) |
| Abstract: | Formal labor market integration remains central to Türkiye’s Syrian refugee response as policy shifts toward longer-term self-reliance and social cohesion. This paper uses a 2026 survey of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) across all 81 provinces in the country, with a dedicated Syrian refugee employment module in 24 provinces covering about 95 percent of Syrians under temporary protection. Among MSMEs in these provinces, 4.5 percent have ever hired Syrian refugee workers and 2.6 percent currently employ them, representing roughly 100, 000 and 58, 000 firms. Employer-reported experience is generally favorable, yet formal hiring remains constrained by limited knowledge of formal employment requirements, procedural complexity, low support program awareness and use, and reliance on personal networks and direct applications. Current and former employers are far more likely than never-employers to report that additional support would make hiring easier. The findings point to making work authorization pathways clearer and easier to use, reducing administrative frictions, strengthening matching and support services, and differentiating assistance by firms’ prior hiring experience. |
| Keywords: | Syrian refugees, MSMEs, formal employment, work permits, employer-side constraints, labor market integration, Türkiye |
| JEL: | J15 J61 J68 O15 L26 |
| Date: | 2026–09 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18916 |
| By: | Rachid Maghniwi (UM5 - Université mohamed 5, Rabat) |
| Abstract: | Morocco's promotion to the top of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Africa Industrialisation Index in May 2026, ahead of South Africa, marks a structural turning point for the Moroccan economy. This paper offers a prospective analysis of the spillover effects of this industrial rise on the Casablanca Stock Exchange. Using a comparative panel of eight African and emerging stock exchanges over the period 2010–2025, extended to a semi-annual frequency to enlarge the training sample, we deploy artificial neural network modelling (multilayer perceptron and recurrent LSTM network) to project the trajectory of market capitalisation, the MASI index, and sectoral performance towards 2030. Explanatory variables incorporate the AfDB industrialisation index, manufacturing value added, industrial investment flows, and a set of international macro-financial indicators (interest rates, market liquidity, global financial conditions). Hyperparameter optimisation (grid search and time-series cross-validation), an explicit train/validation/test split, and overfitting controls are detailed to ensure the robustness of the approach. Our results suggest that a sustained rise in the industrialisation index would translate into a projected growth in market capitalisation of around 45 to 60 % by 2030, reported with confidence intervals and driven mainly by the industrial, automotive, and aerospace sectors. The predictive robustness of the LSTM model, confirmed against benchmark econometric models (OLS, ARIMA) and alternative machine-learning algorithms (Random Forest, XGBoost), validates the relevance of the connectionist approach for capturing the nonlinear dynamics between industrial transformation and stock-market valuation |
| Abstract: | La promotion du Maroc au premier rang de l'Indice d'industrialisation de l'Afrique (Africa Industrialisation Index, AII) de la Banque africaine de développement (BAD) en mai 2026, devant l'Afrique du Sud, marque un tournant structurel pour l'économie marocaine. Cet article propose une analyse prospective des effets d'entraînement de cette montée industrielle sur la place boursière de Casablanca. À partir d'un panel comparatif de huit places boursières africaines et émergentes sur la période 2010-2025, complété par une fréquence d'observation semestrielle afin d'élargir l'échantillon d'apprentissage, nous mobilisons une modélisation par réseaux de neurones artificiels (perceptron multicouche et réseau récurrent LSTM) pour projeter la trajectoire de la capitalisation boursière, de l'indice MASI et de la performance sectorielle à l'horizon 2030. Les variables explicatives intègrent l'indice d'industrialisation de la BAD, la valeur ajoutée manufacturière, les flux d'investissement industriel et un ensemble d'indicateurs macro-financiers internationaux (taux d'intérêt, liquidité de marché, conditions financières mondiales). La procédure d'optimisation des hyperparamètres (recherche par grille et validation croisée temporelle), le découpage explicite apprentissage/validation/test et les contrôles du surapprentissage sont détaillés afin de garantir la robustesse de la démarche. Nos résultats suggèrent qu'une progression soutenue de l'indice d'industrialisation se traduirait par une croissance projetée de la capitalisation boursière de l'ordre de 45 à 60 % à l'horizon 2030, assortie d'intervalles de confiance, et portée principalement par les secteurs industriels, automobile et aéronautique. La robustesse prédictive du modèle LSTM, confirmée par comparaison avec des modèles économétriques de référence (MCO, ARIMA) et des algorithmes d'apprentissage automatique alternatifs (Random Forest, XGBoost), valide la pertinence de l'approche connexionniste pour capter les dynamiques non linéaires entre transformation industrielle et valorisation boursière. |
| Keywords: | LSTM, African Development Bank, Casablanca Stock Exchange, neural networks, stock-market forecasting, spillover effects, industrialisation, effets d'entraînement industrialisation, prévision boursière, réseaux de neurones, Bourse de Casablanca, Banque africaine de développement, effets d'entraînement |
| Date: | 2026–08–14 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05724522 |
| By: | Jamshidi, Jamshid |
| Abstract: | The Islamic Republic of Iran dissolved its only ruling party in 1987 and has governed its provinces ever since without the organisation that comparative politics treats as essential to durable authoritarian rule. Yet elections have been held continuously, elites have circulated at extraordinary rates---roughly two in three parliamentary incumbents and four in five city councillors are replaced each cycle---and mass participation has persisted, with some 273, 000 candidates registering for a single round of local elections. This article asks how political coordination is accomplished at the subnational level in the structural absence of party organisation. Drawing on original electoral data covering all eleven parliamentary terms and on remote qualitative fieldwork in Khuzestan Province, it argues that durable, territorially embedded informal networks---kinship and tribal structures, religious associations, patronage hierarchies, and economic coalitions---perform the coordinating functions normally attributed to ruling parties. Read through Gramsci's account of hegemony and the integral state, these networks constitute decentralised sites of consent production that complement, rather than replace, coercive and institutional power. The case of Dezful illustrates the mechanism. The argument specifies a model of network-based hegemony with implications for the study of authoritarian durability, party substitution, and informal institutions beyond Iran. |
| Date: | 2026–09–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:chpx5_v1 |
| By: | International Monetary Fund |
| Abstract: | Algeria is seeking to enhance economic growth and resilience and diversify its economy away from hydrocarbons. To achieve this, the authorities are pursuing large foundational investment projects, import substitution and nonhydrocarbon export-promotion policies, alongside reforms to enhance tax administration and public financial management, improve governance and the business environment, and to reduce informality through digitalization and tax-regime reforms. These efforts have supported diversification and robust growth, although large fiscal deficits have eroded fiscal and external buffers and increased financing pressures. |
| Date: | 2026–09–21 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:imf:imfscr:2026/252 |
| By: | Chan, Kenddrick; Ma, Songruowen; Hao, Ce |
| JEL: | R14 J01 |
| Date: | 2026–09 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:141089 |